Michael Rubin

Secondary Math Teacher; looking to steal and share ideas to inspire students and create resilient problem solvers. #MTBoS #iteachmath

[Michael Rubin @MikeRubin84]

@jschool0218 @MrsRoseLam If you haven’t already, check out the Building Thinking Classrooms Facebook group. Tons of resources/discussion going on there.

[Michael Rubin @MikeRubin84]

Great tip from @pgliljedahl , when giving tasks in a #thinkingclassroom with images/graphs, make them the size of a fortune paper.

However, that can result in a lot of little slips of paper to manage. Organizing them in 8.5x11 plastic business card sheets saves a lot of time!

[Michael Rubin @MikeRubin84]

@MsKellerMath @pgliljedahl I found myself reading body language/gestures. Ss leaning towards board and ss with marker probably get it. Ss with arms crossed a couple steps back I asked to explain.

[Michael Rubin @MikeRubin84]

Reimplementing #thinkingclassroom on Tue. after Mon. workshop with @pgliljedahl. Key takeaway: don’t let ss leave each other behind.

Started with 4 days left solving linear systems with substitution. Highest engagement I’ve had all year.

[Michael Rubin @MikeRubin84]

@MsKellerMath @pgliljedahl Don’t give next task until all members can explain the current.

don’t tell ss to steal problems (or use a banner) until expectation is established. ~3 weeks

Ask ss without marker to explain, giving them the marker.

[Michael Rubin @MikeRubin84]

@MrJoshuaBean @shawnakervin Course rubrics essentially, by unit. A big part of the framework is that students need to know where they are and know where they are going. How what they know fits into a larger context.

[Michael Rubin @MikeRubin84]

@abbybates24 @MrsSheehanMath @Willmdunn @KirstDy @AlexOverwijk @mrmakemathsense @msmakemathsense I’m just starting #ThinkingClassroom myself, but will share my c1 folder with you (some thin-sliced tasks in there you might be interested in) :)

[Michael Rubin @MikeRubin84]

@MrsSheehanMath @aledaklassen I have a launch and thin-sliced tasks for skyscrapers if you’re interested. I plan on using it the first week back. I’m going to print some of the puzzles and tape them to the boards.

[Michael Rubin @MikeRubin84]

@MrsSheehanMath @RyanMath6284 Agreed. Grading is so subjective and often when I try to convert to a percentage it breaks my idea of what I want it to do. I have something that is close, but it’s ugly.

[Michael Rubin @MikeRubin84]

@MrsSheehanMath @RyanMath6284 I hear you. My plan is to emphasize the skill. “Can you do a basic problem, an intermediate, or an advanced?” Essentially a 3 point scale to ss. Have them evaluate themselves on that. Points is on my side cause im supposed to give grades :(

[Michael Rubin @MikeRubin84]

@MrsSheehanMath @RyanMath6284 Now you’ve got me rethinking my scale :p. 0-5 converted to percents seems pretty transparent

[Michael Rubin @MikeRubin84]

@MrsSheehanMath @RyanMath6284 I feel your pain. Here’s a thought: dont use all the values. Ex: basic = 2, intermediate= 4, advanced = 5. Take average instead of cumulative points/total points. Then assign percentage. Ex: students gets. 2, 2, 4, 5. Avg = 3.25. %= 50 + 10(3.25) = 82.5%.

[Michael Rubin @MikeRubin84]

@MrsSheehanMath Also, so far students seem to prefer participation to reading about math. @wheeler_laura talked about this in a practice session when providing students more detailed note taking packets. SS don’t just read it all and decide not to participate.

[Michael Rubin @MikeRubin84]

@MrsSheehanMath providing page numbers after the task hasn’t seemed to hurt the task. Also, imo ss relying on a text isn’t = to relying on me.

I worry about ss wellness. Some don’t have bandwidth every day to learn by task. If they want to survive by reading about concepts, I’m ok with that.

[Michael Rubin @MikeRubin84]

@MrsSheehanMath It is a bit more planning, which is why I’m doing a lot of it during the summer. I’m also hoping it supports the students that absolutely hate the BTC model and feel they need explicit explanations of content to feel comfortable taking risks in class.

[Michael Rubin @MikeRubin84]

@MrsSheehanMath I’m planning CYU questions when I make tasks. I’m providing definitions and worked solutions with some worked problems. I’m also providing textbook pages and RTI review materials on the rubrics.

They will also have independent work time to get help from each other/me.

[Michael Rubin @MikeRubin84]

@mwmathews I teach C3 which is essentially alg. And trig. I’m also currently working on thin slicing lessons to start a thinking classroom in the fall. My hope is to open tasks up more as I gain confidence (in myself mostly). Let me know if you’re interested and I’ll dm you a link.

[Michael Rubin @MikeRubin84]

@NguyenMath @druinok @MrsSheehanMath @pamjwilson @Willmdunn I’m thinking, as an approach to supporting students in building the confidence for more automy: thin-slicing -> smudged math -> Desmos (describing what’s going on) -> rich task. Does that sound like it might work?

[Michael Rubin @MikeRubin84]

@druinok @NguyenMath @MrsSheehanMath @pamjwilson @Willmdunn I teach math C3 (it’s traditional algebra 2 and trig). I also teach course 1 (algebra 1) to students learning English.

[Michael Rubin @MikeRubin84]

@NguyenMath @druinok @MrsSheehanMath @pamjwilson @Willmdunn You give me hope! I tried rich tasks in 2019, after spending a week doing non-curricular tasks. Most ss didn’t engage. I did thin slicing in distance learning and students engaged more. I suspect my juniors need the support to build confidence, but hope to move to rich tasks.